The Blue Nile "High" (2004)

High
release date: Aug. 30, 2004
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,98]
producer: The Blue Nile
label: Sanctuary Records - nationality: Scotland, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Days of Our Lives" - 2. "I Would Never" (4 / 5 ) - 3. "Broken Loves" (5 / 5) - 4. "Because of Toledo" - 5. "She Saw the World" (4 / 5) - 6. "High" - 7. "Soul Boy" - 9. "Stay Close"

4th and so far final studio album by The Blue Nile released 8 years after the previous album. After the least successful album to date, the band left Warner Bros., and this album is released on the smaller Sanctuary Records (sublabel of BMG). It's like a return to their old style, just updated with a better production and skilful use of electronic.
"Broken Loves" is such a fabulous track, and the album is highly recommendable.
Since this, the band has kept quiet. Paul Buchanan, however, released his fine solo debut album Mid Air in 2012.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]

Show lyrics <- click...

~ ~ ~

"Broken Loves"

"I feel exactly like a matchstick in relation to you
Thin and broken.
And nothing I can seem - There's Nothing I can seem to do
Make you switch the TV off - To Make you switch the TV off
And look up - Oh look up
Look up

Sail away
Sailing away from me also
I count your sticks and all your toys
You're laughing in the background noise
We won't give up
I'm going to give you something else
That's some kind of broken words

Children swing, to and fro
Do you ever wonder
Where did the summer go?
Counting The TV's and counting the stars
It's so unfunny I don't know where you are anymore
I don't know where you are anymore

Sail away
Sail on back to me envy
I count your sticks and all your toys
Your laughter in the background noise
Please don't give up
I am gonna promise you something else
Not some kind of broken loves

Sail away
Sail on back to me and then (yeah yeah)
I'll keep your sticks and all your toys
I'll keep you in the background noise
Yeah we don't give up
And I am gonna find you something else
Not some kind of broken loves"

~ ~ ~

Halsey "Badlands" (2015)

Badlands (debut)

release date: 28. august 2015

format: digital (Deluxe Edition)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]

producer: Peder Losnegård; mfl.

label: Astralwerks - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Castle" - 2. "Hold Me Down" - 3. "New Americana" - 4. "Drive" - 5. "Hurricane" - 7. "Ghost" - 8. "Colors" - 14. "Control" - 15. "Young God"

Studio album debut by American singer Halsey (aka Ashley Nicolette Frangipane) mainly produced by Norwegian Peder Losnegård (aka Lido), who in addition to being executive producer also is credited as a producer on nine of the standard album's eleven tracks. The Deluxe Edition offers five bonus tracks, but otherwise also has a somewhat different tracklisting, although all eleven tracks of the standard edition are included.

In what seems like from one day to the other, Halsey has made the jump from being an ordinary mortal to be regarded as a celebrity. She started posting videos on Tumblr and YouTube and established 'professional' contact with people of the music industry to make the song "Ghost" - which was then released as a single in the Summer of 2014, after then Astralwerks signed her. The song is also found on her EP debut Room 93 from 2014, and from that also comes the bonus track "Hurricane".

Musically, Halsey represents a bit of a conglomerate of styles, which is quite intelligently packed into beautiful arrangements and uptempo production that is equal parts synthpop and electropop in a cocktail you'd probably call art pop. The music is mostly pop-oriented, but on later releases, inspiration is drawn from grunge rock, and that's nively in line with a personal story of being raised with very diverse music, which again fits well with what you have could say about Danish MØ. Musically, you'll find other similarities with the implication of a sneer inspired by alt. rock and more dance-friendly pop music. The album was released to great reviews and peaked at number #2 on the US Billboard 200 and the Australian Albums Chart, as number #3 in Canada, Ireland and New Zealand, and it also made it to the exclusive top-10 in the UK. The singles "Ghost", "New Americana", "Colors", and "Castle" didn't reach corresponding top-10 positions but each has nevertheless sold several times "Platinum" in the US, and in 2016, Halsey was awarded the "Rising Star" prize at the Billboard Women in Music Awards.

It's predominantly mainstream pop and as such not really a genre I listen much to, but it's still difficult to ignore the internet phenomenon Halsey - a bit like you cannot ignore names like Lana Del Rey, Billie Eilish, Kanye West, Sia, Beyonce etc - music for the masses, but admittedly, I think Halsey is something special in the way she cleverly manages to incorporate elements from diverse styles and genres, and at the same time she knows how to find the right composers and the matching music producers to with whom to create her music, to establish some sense of having created a new and more original expression - although, in places, you may think of other artists such as Sia, Lorde, and a few others.

Badlands isn't the most epoch-making debut - less will do, and it's basically a pretty decent outing to the great pot of pop releases.

Not a favourite.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Bruce Springsteen "Working on a Dream" (2009)

Working on a Dream
release date: Jan. 27, 2009
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,08]
producer: Brendan O'Brien
label: Columbia / Sony Music - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Outlaw Pete" - 2. "My Lucky Day" - 3. "Working on a Dream" (4 / 5) - 9. "Life Itself" - 10. "Kingdom of Days"

16th studio album by Bruce Springsteen continue much in the style of three most recent albums, and represents a mix of styles. Some tracks just follow the style from Magic but others are like 'the usual' Springsteen repertoire. He tries hard to make it diverse - some times too hard - when he puts in a dirty blues rock track like "Good Eye", which sounds inspired by Tom Waits, and then jumps on to a slide-guitar driven country folk composition "Tomorrow Never Knows" you start wondering if the playlist right 'cause the diversity only seems colliding. Despite being the album's strongest track, the title song also hangs like the one-hit song that sells an album out of bounds.
The album was rather successful reaching number #1 in both the US, the UK and several other countries. I don't find it that great, though. "Working on a Dream" was a major hit, but is the album's only great track, and it just leaves you with more questions than answers ' cause what was it supposed to be other than a mixed bag.
[ allmusic.com, Blender, Spin 3 / 5 stars ]

Last Dinosaurs "Wellness" (2015)

Wellness

release date: Aug. 28, 2015

format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,60]

producer: Scott Horscroft

label: Dew Process - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Take Your Time" - 2. "Evie" - 3. "Karma" - 4. "Wurl" - 6. "Apollo" - 7. "Always" - 8. "Purist" - 9. "Stream" (Audiotree live)

2nd full-length album by Australian indie pop quartet Last Dinosaurs following 3½ years after In a Million Years (Mar. 2012). At some point in 2013, bassist Sam Gethin-Jones left the band reduced to a trio, and back is Michael Sloane, who had been part of the earliest formation of the band back in 2007.

Wellness is better produced, better mixed, and it comes out as a much more originally-sounding album with several fine songs and no fillers. The band still play indie pop, but here they have added more complexity to their songs, and together with added synths and electronic bits, it just feels like a warm southern breeze rooted in Australasia.

Recommended.

[ SputnikMusic 3,8 / 5, AlbumOfTheYear 77 / 100, TheMusic.com.au 4 / 5 stars ]

Kapten Röd "Fläcken som aldrig går bort" (2011)

Fläcken som aldrig går bort
release date: Jul. 6, 2011
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]
producer: Björn Nilsson
label: SwingKids Productions - nationality: Sweden

Track highlights: 1. "Ju mer dom spottar" (4 / 5) - 2. "Saknade vänner" - 3. "Pantad & såld" - 4. "In kommer ting" (4 / 5) - 6. "1.000.000 nollor" - 9. "Ett snedsteg bort"

2nd studio album by Swedish band Kapten Röd, which practically means Björn Nilsson and his backing group. The style is typical dancehall and ragga with lyrics in Swedish. It's nicely produced and it strikes me as one of the more successful contemporary dancehall releases.
To me, this sounds much like a mix of the Danish bands Bikstok Røgsystem and Bli'Glad, sometimes more hip hop-styled, at other times more reggae-inspired but mostly just plain dancehall and just so plain positive and warm-fuelled as possible.

The Killers "Day & Age" (2008)

Day & Age
release date: Nov. 24, 2008
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,12]
producer: Stuart Price, The Killers
label: Island Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Losing Touch" (3 / 5) - 2. "Human" - 3. "Spaceman" - 5. "A Dustland Fairytale" (3 / 5) - 6. "This Is Your Life" (3 / 5)

3rd studio album by The Killers following two years after Sam's Town introduces British producer Stuart Price, mostly famous for working with pop artists like Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Pet Shop Boys. Price had previously in 2005 made a hit remix of the song "Mr. Brightside" from the band's debut album under the pseudonym of Jacques Lu Cont, and I guess the band wanted a new dance touch to its sound.
I think the album was a major disappointment when I first listened to it. It probably took me more than four whole years to recognize it as better than just that. And not that I found it great after that, but my initial verdict was that it was a lesser and only mediocre album. Nowadays, I consider it above average. Also, I do understand the critics who hold that the lyrical side is sometimes painfully bad. Well, I don't think Brandon Flowers (songwriter and vocalist) ever thought of being compared to novelists or poets when he wrote the songs. If you are able to look aside the lyrics, and just consider the flow, the vocal harmonies as... musical output, like that of a guitar, you may understand why some find it enjoyable. Still, "Are we human, or are we dancer?" is simply a bad phrase..., isn't it?! Even for an unscholared American. Sorry. I understand, he asks if we (the human race) are "human" (indirectly referring to humanity in human), or (are we just) "dancer" (hinting at the action of dancing as a state of just being, as opposed to being reflective and concerned fellow human beings...).
Nevertheless, the style has become much more pop-minded and the post-punk element seems totally gone. Tracks #2, #3 and #5 are included on the best of album Direct Hits (2013).
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

The Go-Betweens "1978 - 1990" (1990)

1978 - 1990 (compilation)
release date: Mar. 19, 1990
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: Rebel Records - nationality: Australia

Compilation album by The Go-Betweens originally released on Beggars Banquet after the disbandment of the group. The album is not a mere best of album but more the collection of selected songs in incomplete order starting off with "Hammer the Hammer" from 1982. Also, the title suggests that you'll find songs from 1978 to 1990 on this album, which you won't - at least not on the CD issue of the album, which contains 22 tracks. However, the 2 lp vinyl issue comes closer to embracing the whole period with its 27 tracks, but the timespan is widened here to a full decade: '78-88 - since they didn't record any new material after 1988 (and there's also a Japanese 2 CD issue of the album with 28 tracks). Hence, the title is a reference to the life-time of the band, and there's a timeline in the inlay with the various line-ups of the band reflecting years as a duo ('78-80), as a trio ('80-82), a quartet ('82-86), and two different periods as a quintet ('86-88 / '88-89). But if the band ended in '89 (which it did), then why is it titled "1978 - 1990"? To justify this album... Well, that's of course a label decision.

Anyway, the album is fine but also rather redundant since it doesn't really add anything to the whole picture, and for those who do not know all albums, well, a true best of album would be the better option. But guess what - sadly there are no decent best of albums with this band. There's the album Bellavista Terrace: Best of The Go-Betweens (1999), which "only" contains 14 tracks and leaves too many great tunes out, and even the 2-disc versions just adds a live concert as further material. Then there's Quiet Heart: The Best of The Go-Betweens (2012), which contains 18 random songs - some fine, yes but best? No. And that one also contains a live disc...[!], as if this band didn't make enough great songs. Then there are some anthologies but all with their flaws. So please [e.g. Beggars Banquet], go ahead and make the genuine album featuring the best from one of the most important Australian bands ever.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

John Frusciante "The Empyrean" (2009)

The Empyrean
release date: Jan. 20, 2009
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5]

Track highlights: 2. "Song to the Siren" - 3. "Unreachable" - 4. "God" - 7. "Enough of Me" - 8. "Central" - 10. "After the Ending"

8th solo album by John Frusciante, who all of a sudden didn't release a bunch of solo albums after his 2005 album, Curtains, but instead he focused on his work with Red Hot Chili Peppers and several collaboration jobs together with Omar Rodríguez-López, (from) The Mars Volta, and Ataxia. This album is alt. rock, indie rock with a singer / songwriter touch. Frusciante left RHCP later this year, and this time he was replaced by his friend Josh Klinghoffer.

Paus "Paus" (1998)

Paus [debut]
release date: May 1, 1998
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: Peter Svensson
label: RCA Victor - nationality: Sweden

Tracklist: 1. "Ett undantag för vem som helst" - 2. "Smeknamn" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Mitt samvete din hämnd" (3,5 / 5) - 4. "Amerikana" - 5. "Snöängel" (4 / 5) - 6. "Fotografi" - 7. "Sårbar (jag önskar jag var)" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Leia" (3,5 / 5) (live) - 9. "En lögn" (3,5 / 5) - 10. "Chock" (4 / 5)

A collaboration debut album by the Swedish duo-project Paus consisting of the two prominent songwriters, Peter Svensson, guitarist (and songwriter) of The Cardigans and Joakim Berg, vocalist (and songwriter) of Kent. Paus is Swedish for 'pause', reflecting the hiatus they both were experiencing in their respective bands. Actually, the drummer of The Cardigans, Bengt Lagerberg is one of the studio musicians and he plays on all tracks. This is not the style they're normally associated with in their "own" bands but it's more of a chamber pop and ambient art pop with fine delicate harmonies and beautiful pieces of sound. A precious little album that deserves much more attention.

[ Here's another fine track: "Kärlekens tunga" from this duo (with Joakim on vocals) on the Eldkvarn, or Plura Jönsson, tribute album Plura 50 - En hyllningsplatta (2001) ]

Kings of Leon "Come Around Sundown" (2010)

Come Around Sundown
release date: Oct. 19, 2010
format: 2 cd (Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,15]
producer: Angelo Petraglia & Jacquire King
label: RCA Records / Sony BMG - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "The End" - 2. "Radioactive" - 3. "Pyro" (4 / 5) - 4. "Mary" - 5. "The Face" - 6. "The Immortals" (4 / 5) - 7. "Back Down South" (5 / 5) - 8. "Beach Side" - 9. "No Money" - 10. "Pony Up" (4 / 5) - 11. "Birthday" - 13. "Pickup Truck"

5th studio album by Kings of Leon following two years after Only by the Night is like that produced by Angelo Petraglia and Jacquire King. The Deluxe Edition comes with a bonus disc containing three extra tracks.

The album takes off on the same formula they have perfected making this the band's so far best album, in my mind. At first, I only heard the songs "The End" and "Radioactive" but soon my favourite was "Back Down South" and "Pony Up".

Sure, they don't change a lot. They make popular / chorus-based rock tunes, and they don't excel in new additions to stir up the compositional shape. The guitar is a dominating figure sent off on feedback and flanger effects making it sound like U2 had a finger on it, and yes without that Irish band Kings of Leon would probably have sounded differently, but to that 'origin' the Followills add something else, which may be identified as equal parts of American southern rock feel and originality.

What I really think makes this a better album than the fine Only by the Night (2008) is not the number of great tracks but more so the high level of the remaining songs. This album simply contains no fillers.

Highly recommended.

[ 👎allmusic.com, NME 2,5 / 5, Spin 3,5 / 5, 👉Rolling Stone, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

alternate cover

Sigur Rós "Kveikur" (2013)

Kveikur
release date: Jun. 14, 2013
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]
producer: Sigur Rós
label: XL Recordings - nationality: Iceland

Track highlights: 1. "Brennisteinn" - 3. "Ísjaki" (4 / 5) - 5. "Stormur" - 6. "Kveikur" - 7. "Rafstraumur" - 8. "Bláþráður"

7th studio album by Sigur Rós follows only one year after Valtari and is released on XL Recordings and produced by the band assisted by former member Kjartan Sveinsson and Alex Somers.

Almost as usual with Sigur Rós, they enjoy stylistic changes. This time it might be the result of a change in the usual line-up due to the reduction from a quartet to a trio, as Kjartan Sveinsson (keyboards, guitar, vocals, since 1998) left the band in early 2012, and on this, he only contributes as technical personnel.

The album marks a stronger return to a more traditional shape of post-rock in respect to what we heard on the predecessor, and this time they combine with an industrial touch that I haven't heard them play with before. At some point it resembles the music of Mogwai more than ever (listen e.g. to Come on Die Young, 1999, and Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, 2011), although, Sigur Rós is still more ambient, ethereal, and dream pop-founded, which ain't necessarily bad. In a sense it's also a return to their first more experimental releases only without the art rock connection.

Compared to Valtari, I'm not entirely convinced this is an improvement but as I've come to experience with this band, you need to give it time to unfold.

[ allmusic.com, NME 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Nina Simone "Nina Simone Sings the Blues" (1967)

Nina Simone Sings the Blues

release date: 1967

format: cd (2011 reissue) / vinyl (2013 reissue) (MOVLP878)

[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,32]

producer: Danny Davis

label: RCA Victor / Music On Vinyl - nationality: USA

Studio album by Nina Simone following High Priestess of Soul (1967) is her first release with RCA Victor in long series of acclaimed albums with that label, who understood better to showcase her multifacetted talents more directly than the management at Coolpix Records and Phillips had succeded in.

The album is both a return to the musical sources to her acclaimed debut and also a turn to a more personal expression, where she gives new stylistic twists to familiar vocal jazz staples with soul, with folk, and of course with a strong element of blues. On top of that, the album also showcases Simone as composer of five original compositions.

Nina Simone Sings the Blues is a natural part of the Holy Grail of jazz alogside a handful of her albums.

Highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, All About Jazz 4 / 5 stars ]

Elvis Costello & Bill Frisell "Deep Dead Blue" (1995) (live)

Deep Dead Blue (Live 25 June 95) (live)
release date: Aug. 14, 1995
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: ?
label: Warner Bros. / Nonesuch - nationality: England, UK

Collaboration live album by Elvis Costello and Bill Frisell recorded live at the Meltdown Festival, Queen Elizabeth Hall RFH2, London, Jun. 25, 1995.

The album may be regarded as a Mini-album with its relatively short running time at just less than 27 minutes. It consists of seven tracks of which two are covers and only the title track is credited the duo (track #7).

Stylistically, it's primarily ballads of vocal jazz and jazz fusion, and Costello is alone credited his vocal and Frisell is alone credited his guitar work with no other musicians contributing. The American guitarist is very likely to be capable of playing anything but his primary domain is jazz fusion, and on this it's his touch with bolder melodic instrumental jazz.

Despite being really stripped down arrangements this concept works surprisingly well. Costello 'plays around' with his most intimate vocal with Frisell adding that swirling and appropriate foundation that makes it all sparkle.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

Rasmus Walter "Endeløst" (2012) (single)

Endeløst, single

release date: Nov. 12, 2012

format: digital

[single rate: 4 / 5]

Tracklist: 1. "Endeløst"

Single release by Rasmus Walter is a song taken from his forthcoming second album Lige her lige nu (Mar. 2013) is a strong composition.

Best of 2014:Ukendt Kunstner "Forbandede ungdom" (2014)

Forbandede ungdom [debut]
release date: May 12, 2014
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,22]
producer: Jens Ole McCoy
label: Sony Music - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "Begyndelsen" - 2. "Hun sagde" (feat. Karen) (4 / 5) - 3. "Feelings" - 4. "Alting / Ingenting" (4 / 5) - 5. "Fortæl dem" (feat. Lord Siva) (4 / 5) - 6. "Spor 6" - 7. "Boulevarden" - 8. "Daglige brød" (3,5 / 5) - 9. "Stein Bagger" (4 / 5) - 10. "Gennem byen" (4,5 / 5) - 11. "Englebarn" (feat. Caroline Henderson) - 12. "Kjærlighed" (4 / 5)

Full studio debut album by the Danish duo Ukendt Kunstner consisting of Hans Phillip on vocal and Jens Ole McCoy credited as producer. They have already released several eps, singles, and a fine mixtape in the span of just a few years.
It's nice and fine music the two produce, which loans from various artists like Tricky and Drake, but they still manage to make it sound quite unique in this blend of British and American styled conscious hip-hop, rap, r&b, and trip hop. Lyrically, they sing exclusively in Danish only, which is made in a subtle and artistic way, and subject-wise, I find that they have improved on this by distancing their stories and subjects from other Danish contemporaries, but also elevating Danish music to new standards in the rap and hip hop categories.

EDIT August 2016: In 2015 and early 2016 I still had the album in fourth place for 2014, then I placed it as third best, but I have slowly come to realise that's it's simply the best album, surpassing Bob Mould and Kent. The album has already become a certified Danish classic.

2014 Favourite releases: 1. Ukendt Kunstner Forbandede ungdom - 2. Kent Tigerdrottningen - 3. Sharon Van Etten Are We There

Grant-Lee Phillips "Walking in the Green Corn" (2012)

Walking in the Green Corn
release date: Aug. 10, 2012
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Grant-Lee Phillips and Denise Siegel
label: Magnetic Field Recordings - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Vanishing Song" - 2. "Great Horned Owl" - 3. "Buffalo Hearts" (4 / 5) (live) - 5. "Fools Gold" (4 / 5) (live) - 6. "Silent Arrow" (4 / 5) - 7. "Bound to This World" - 8. "Thunderbird" (4 / 5) (live) - 9. "Black Horses in a Yellow Sky" - 10. "Walking in the Green Corn" (live)

7th studio album by Grant-Lee Phillips following three years after Little Moon (Oct. 2009). This is again a more subdued and laid back Phillips like heard on Virginia Creeper (2004). And it's almost exactly as good as that but may need more time to blossom, at least that's what I experienced. I found it slightly dull at first, but over time I have come to really enjoy it. Aside from being close to his 2004 album - which means mostly acoustic singer / songwriter and alt. folk compositions with Phillips' vocal, acoustic guitar, and only accompanied by violin and / or backing vocals - it's also an album where he takes on a tone that sounds like sung by Michael Stipe and Eddie Vedder combined - at least that's the image I get, and that can't be bad.
Walking in the Green Corn is one of his best solo albums.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Kendrick Lamar "To Pimp a Butterfly" (2015)

To Pimp a Butterfly
release date: Mar. 15, 2015
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,28]
producer: various
label: Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 6. "u" (3 / 5) - 7. "Alright" (3,5 / 5) - 13. "The Blacker The Berry" (3 / 5) - 16. "Mortal Man"

3rd studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar produced by a long list of prominent (rap-)producers. The genre and styles are rap, hip hop [or at the moment referred to as conscious hip hop, which is to say: lyrics with a social / political engagement - and I mean... whenever wasn't hip hop that?], west coast hip hop with elements of neo-soul, funk and jazz.
The album has been praised by critics, it has been nominated and attributed a bunch of prizes, and... I don't see the hype, the fuzz, the buzz, nor the brilliance of this. I just don't. Maybe I'm blind and deaf 'cause all I find is rather boring, mostly. Sometimes annoying, and to sum up: not really of any interest.
The album could work Okay as background noise (only), but it's not really recommended.

U2 "The Best of 1990-2000" (2002)

The Best of 1990-2000 (compilation)
release date: Nov. 5, 2002
format: 2 cd (Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: various
label: Island Records - nationality: Ireland

Best of compilation album by U2, which comes in a standard single disc version and a 2-disc Deluxe Edition with the addition of a disc titled "Best of - The B-sides", completely as was the case with the band's first best of album The Best of 1980-1990 & B-sides (Nov. 1998). Where the band with the '98 album focused on their most recent two albums, this is a bit of an extended mix. The tracks both cover the band's last four albums of the 1990's - and two of these, Zooropa (1993) and Pop (1997) do represent an artistic low-point, but the album also contains four new songs: the fine "Miss Sarajevo" recorded and released for the U2 / Brian Eno-project band, Passengers' album Original Soundtracks 1 (1995), "Electrical Storm (William Orbit Mix)" (it also features the original version!), "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" made for the "Batman Forever" film by Tim Burton (1995), and "The Hands That Build America (Theme From 'Gangs of New York')" made for Martin Scorsese's 2002 film "The Gangs of New York".
As was the case in '98, the album is not really a compilation of U2's best compositions from the decade, although, several of the songs would be expected on a best of album. Strange decisions have led to the idea concerning "The Best of the B-sides" disc - too many odd mixes of original songs have been included to make it much worth. You get some, and then you get a lot of oddness, you just didn't hope for.
[ 👍allmusic.com 3 / 5, 👍Pitchfork 5,6 / 10, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Neil Young "Fork in the Road " (2009)

Fork in the Road 
release date: Apr. 7, 2009
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,63]
producer: "The Volume Dealers" [Neil Young and Niko Bolas]
label: Reprise Records - nationality: Canada

Track highlights: 1. "When the Worlds Collide" - 3. "Just Singing a Song" - 4. "Johnny Magic" - 5. "Cough Up the Bucks" - 10. "Fork in the Road"

30th studio album by Neil Young is a sort of return to basics, electrified, as a kind of Ragged Glory, part 2, which it really isn't as it's also without Crazy Horse. But basically, there are simply too few great tunes for that, but the energy is here as well as the scarce instrumentation with the Fender sound on top - and that's where my point about Ragged Glory comes from.
Critics seem divided on this. The album was met by fine and favourable reviews but also timid to quite poor reviews.
The album is not really a recommended release unless you are a rather big fan, but it's not as bad as argued by The Times who gave it 1 / 5 stars.
[ allmusic.com 3,5, Blender, Uncut 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, The Guardian 2 / 5 stars ]

The Breeders "Pod" (1990)

Pod (debut]
release date: May 28, 1990
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,34]
producer: Steve Albini
label: 4AD - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Glorious" - 3. "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" - 4. "Oh!" - 5. "Hellbound" - 8. "Iris" - 11. "Lime House"

Studio album debut by The Breeders, a project band created in the late 1980s as Pixies bassist Kim Deal and Throwing Muses vocalist and guitarist Tanya Donelly became friends and as Deal was unsatisfied with her part in Pixies as merely instrumentalist, and was writing her own original material the two decided to try to make music together. After a short demo tape was sent to British 4AD-founder Ivo Watts-Russell, as both Pixies and Throwing Muses were signed to that label, he made arrangements with Deal and Donelly to come to England to record some tracks. Deal then contacted Josephine Wiggs of the English band The Perfect Disaster (who had supported Pixies at a London concert in '88) to play bass in the band. Kim also asked American producer Steve Albini to record the sessions, and he made contact to Slint drummer Britt Walford to stand-in - initially as studio musician, which he subsequently agreed to if they would have him credited under another name. Thus, the band here consists of Kim Deal on lead vocals and guitar, Tanya Donelly on guitar and backing vocals, Josephine Wiggs on bass and backing vocals, and with Britt Walford (credited as Shannon Doughton) on drums and backing vocals.
The majority of the tracks are written by Kim Deal (two songs co-written with demo bassist Ray Halliday, one composed with Donelly, and one track with Wiggs), which means Deal in a way finds her outlet for her creativity on this album.
Stylistically, it's typical indie rock of the early 1990s with strong and natural bonds to Pixies and Throwing Muses; also with producer Albini in the seat, the sound is far from over-produced and basically sound like it was recorded as is playing live in the studio; however, there's also a distinct original sonic shape, which has to do with more simple and harmonic melodies pointing at The Beatles (the album contains the cover of the Lennon-McCartney song "Happiness Is a Warm Gun") and Velvet Underground as natural sources of inspiration AND an alt. rock sound, which can only be referred to as grunge rock, which makes it one of the earliest of that style and therefore a natural source of inspiration for many bands to follow in the early 1990s. Thinking of one of Pixies most beloved compositions from Surfer Rosa, the song "Gigantic", written and song by Kim Deal, in a way comes closer to the music of "Pod" than any other song by Pixies or Throwing Muses.
Now, the album isn't famous for its innovative sound or great songs, but in time it has found its way to critical appraisal. Also, Kurt Cobain apparently has been sited to refer to the album as one of his top 3 favourite albums of all time.
I didn't come across the album until after buying The Breeders' Last Splash (1993), and that probably influenced my verdict on the album, as I have never found that appealing, but I must also confess that it's quite good, although, it sounds quite dated from a contemporary perspective. Listening to of the
[ allmusic.com, Spin, NME 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]